Hi Jonathan,
Your right on track with what I will most likely try. In the past I took a sheet of plexiglass and sprayed on some mold release, then rolled on a real thin layer of epoxy resin, I then let it start to set up just enough to keep from pushing my .75 ounce cloth through it. Ounce I had my .75 cloth down I then rolled another layer of epoxy resin onto the .75, then I put down a layer of 2.3 ounce cloth. I then rolled on one last layer of resin and took a piece of then plastic and scraped every bit of resin off while pushing all the layers together. I did not vac bag it, but this time I will. When I did this last time I also tried it with 1/16 balsa, but the balsa soaked up to much resin and was about 35% heavier that the all glass method. I think I am onto something with redesigning my tail flight surfaces. It is amazing how over built RC planes can be. My redesigned rudder has zero ply in it, just balsa and some CF tow. Last night I made a small balsa rectangle out of balsa and CF and sheeted it with 1/32 balsa and it is unreal strong, I bet when I put on the fiberglass skin I am making it will be perfect. One thing that I will have to make sure I am very careful about is handling the plane. The plane will never be able to be picked up, but will have to be pull around, or towed around (I would love to make a RC tug vehicle, be hell, the jolly green giant could never pick up a real B-36 with out denting it.

Thanks, and just let me know when you want to visit, anytime.

DAG

You are spot-on about RC planes being overbuilt. Rarely does a plane fail in flight due to being under-built. Sure, you see planes fail because of being inproperly built, like only having a butt-joint at the center spar. Or I've seen where somebody cut the thin balsa sheeting on their foam core aerobatic plane when they were applying covering trim, and then the wing fails in flight at that point.

If you try vac bagging some balsa panels, you might look into using the vac-down garment bags you can find at target. I just read in the composites section that they work well, and are cheaper than other alternatives.

Dag
I cannot believe that YOU replied to me.
Build it and make it fly.
I'll book a flight over.
Fishers Indiana is about as far out of this world as Crediton, Exeter, Devon,England but it's not impossible. Book in advance and get it cheap they say. A few months after the maiden, I appreciate that you will need time to get things together. I hope that everyone on this site understands.
Rob
Build on Renaissance Man

Dag
I cannot believe that YOU replied to me.
Build it and make it fly.
I'll book a flight over.
Fishers Indiana is about as far out of this world as Crediton, Exeter, Devon,England but it's not impossible. Book in advance and get it cheap they say. A few months after the maiden, I appreciate that you will need time to get things together. I hope that everyone on this site understands.
Rob
Build on Renaissance Man

Rob,
You make me sound just a little to high up the ladder. I am actually not much different than a coupe of great mates I have that live in Ramsbottom, if you know where that is, it is north of London I think. I have been there but don't remember where it is, I got confused from being on the wrong side of the street after going through my 50th roundabout . They think I am a crazy Yank for build a toy airplane this large. After the 2 weeks of testing, I will be letting as many people as possible who want to see her fly come and watch. As I have said many times here, I build to fly, not fly so I have something to build. I will design and fly this bird, even (and I pray this won't happen) if she gets busted up, I will build another, until I have a well refined flying B-36D.

Dag `this is just to let you know something that I think others are too timid or maybe it's too personable to admit. But I am going to say it , I put you right up there withthe people you admire and respect. In a way your're a hero of mine not for who you are but for the ambition and commitment to a project and the courage intelligence(and$$$$$)to carry it out. You are living my dream a drea that I at one time could of done but was just too lazy to even try. I let my chance pass me by but that still doesn't I can't be on the sideline with possibly hundreds of others cheering you on and thanks again for letting us in on how you did it. Congratulations on the project of a lifetime, even if never flies(but it will)your work is a great success navee8or

I agree with Navee8or when he said Dag has fantastic ambition, energy, commitment, intelligence to carry out this project. Most people don't "take their chance or go for the big adventure". Congratulations!! Thanks for letting all of us watch so we can have a small piece of the thrill. By the way, how many hours a night do you sleep on average? Best wishes on your first flight. Brian K.

Thanks all for the comments. I really don't look at myself as anything but a modeler. Keep in mind, what makes a project like this possible is the drawings I created. That and the design took over 8 years. When I started I drew the plane in 2D, I realized very quickly that my parts would be anything but good, not even ok. Making sure that everything fit and would not interfere with other parts and systems is hard. I still can't believe how they built planes in the past, but many of those drawings were refined after making mock-ups. I knew if I was ever going to be able to design this bird I would have to design it in 3D. So for about 4 years on and off I would draw some, collect info on the 36, draw a little more collect more info, that went on and off for 4 years. Then I built my B-29 (1 that never flew, and one that did), the first one was just to test if my skills were good enough to take on a 6-8K project and not throw away the money. I hate to admit it, but this project took on anther life of it's own to keep the weight down. As many of you know I started this project as a stand WAY back scale that would be a floater. It is now becoming a work of art to me. This project is now approaching 14k when done. Here is a example of how spending can get out of control. $950.00 in landing gear parts that will never fly, $650.00 in props I won't use. $650.00 in props I will use. $800.00 in spinners. $1,650.00 in servos, get where I am going with this.

Let me get back on track now, I can hold my own in design, and anyone crazy enough to spend 8-10 years designing a plane could do what I am doing, when I look at some of the Topgun planes, my plane will not even compare, but the WOW factor of actually getting it into the air will be priceless.

One big problem I have is setting the completion date. Yesterday I finished the redesign(3rd time) of my elevators and rudder.

And how much do I sleep? Well I get up about 5am, do company work until about 5-6, then work on the 36 from 8-10. I have a crazy schedule this week because I have meeting on the east coast later this week. And like this past weekend I took my girl to her basketball game, and her and I went to see Monster verse Aliens yesterday. I think I am keeping it all balanced. The 36 will get done when she is ready to fly, but if I don't set a schedule, she would never get done.

Cheers, DAG

And one other thing that might slow her down, my budget is at -5k and I might have to wait a few months to get the props and spinners.

I really don't think your right, when writing that anyone who is able to spend that much time on a project can actually do that. It needs a lot of experience, certainly a lot of diligence and a bold vision connected with passion!

So please: allow the folks out there to comment on what they see: it is way on top of what model building is about. It is just outstanding! I know so many people who show up with what they want to do and when you see the results. Embarrassing. You just show what you do and after seeing saucer-eyed what you did it's just amazing. But this modesty makes you even more likable. I wish we could meet one day and I could see your plane flying!

BTW I have a hard time bringing my DC-3 in the air. But I cannot even imagine the challenge of maidening a plane like that. Do you will have a co-pilot?

Dag
You said on May 2nd;
'then I think she will look like a work of art'.
You have managed to combine design, foresight, determination with incredible artisanship and you now realise that it's going to be a work of art
This is the definition of renaissance man .
Think of this;
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (March 6, 1475 – February 18, 1564)
The Cistine Chapel and David both required the same attributes you have displayed during this build.
Don't do yourself down.

I have taken my Aux 2 and made it a second channel for flaps. I went into my Mix1 and I made flaps (master), and Aux 2 (slave). My question is, can I take and disable the switch that controls Aux 2. I want the Aux 2 to only be controlled by my Flap switch.

Thanks, DAG

Dag,

I was at SEFF for all of last week so I won't go into this too much since I expect someone already answered but don't use mixes on the 9303, you don't need to. Just inhibit Aux2 and Mate it to the flaps, the rest is automatic...

I was at SEFF for all of last week so I won't go into this too much since I expect someone already answered but don't use mixes on the 9303, you don't need to. Just inhibit Aux2 and Mate it to the flaps, the rest is automatic...

Jack

Jack,
You rock! I just did that, did not know you didn't have to mix. Very cool Radio, I still can't believe the things I have learning about this radio. I have to say (and I know I might get some flak for saying this), but.... I have flown Cox in the stone age years, then Airtronics, then I got a JR X-347 (I think that is what it was called), then a Futaba, but the JR radios have always been the greatest. I remember when I had my Futaba that I always wished it was like my X-347, it seems that most people wish their radios were like that other guys JR, why the heck don't they just by the JR in the first place. I know that there are Futaba lovers out there and that is great, no problem, but I am surprised at how many people have said to me, that JR radio rocks, wish I would have gotten one of those. I wonder how many of the Futaba radios the pro's are flying were given to them, I might be building a one of a kind beast, but I paid for all my radio gear

I always liked the Futaba software because you could tell it literally exactly what you wanted it to do. Everything could be manually disabled and mixed, and you didn't have to turn the radio off to change switch assignments.

I really can't stand JR's programming. You can't tell an X9303 that the gyro is plugged into the GEAR channel (helis). You have to either use the end points or lie to it, and tell it you have a governor, which is only available in the GEAR channel.

You have to trick a JR into doing what you want. A futaba will actually listen and go "YES SIR!" lol

That being said, I'm flying JR gear right now because I like the ergonomics. The switches don't leave blisters and the sticks are in the right spot. Futaba leaves a lot to be desired in the comfort department, that's for sure.

Just to be fair, I have heard a lot from guys that fly those thing that have hundreds of parts all moving in one direct leading you to where the crash will be do love Futaba. Heli do seem better on Futaba, but that is just what I have heard.